PSOE's Federal Ethics Committee Revokes Castilla y León Congress Call Amid Controversy
The Federal Ethics and Guarantees Commission of Spain's PSOE party has officially revoked the previously approved Bases of the Call for the Autonomous Congress of PSOE in the region of Castilla y León. This decision was made after the Autonomous Committee's approval on October 4, 2024, and reflects the Commission's interpretation of the party's Statutes.
According to the resolution obtained by Europa Press, the Commission asserted that the term "Congress" encompasses the entire procedural process leading to the scheduled appointments for January 25 and 26 in Palencia. This interpretation implies that the Congress must occur only after the forthcoming Federal Congress set for November 29 to December 1 in Seville.
The Guarantees Commission emphasizes that what they interpret as Congress includes all preliminary procedures, including a primary process that would have begun with nominations of precandidates from October 8 to 15, followed by voting rounds on November 9 and 16. Thus, all congress-related actions at below federal levels are required to wait until after the Federal Congress concludes on December 2, 2024, as articulated by the Guarantees Committee.
Luis Tudanca, the Secretary General of PSCyL, publicly accepted the federal PSOE leadership's decision, despite not agreeing with it. He stressed his commitment to defend the voice of party members, which he feels has been undermined by the suspension of the primaries. In a statement referencing the deputies' strong backing for the primaries, Tudanca noted that the call was approved with 81% support from the Autonomous Committee, the principal governing body for such calls.
He argued that the annulment of this call undermines the legitimacy of regional congresses held even as recently as 2021. Tudanca pointed out that the decision made by the federal level did not originate from the comprehensive competent body and that it appeared to be based on a subjective interpretation. He also indicated that there is no explicit regulation preventing the current call from moving forward.
The socialist leader reiterated his steadfast ambition to advocate for Castilla y León and the values of socialism, expressing pride in the ongoing support from PSCyL members. Tudanca conveyed his desire for the federal Organization Secretariat to promptly resume the autonomous primary process, which has been halted, to allow the voices of the members to be heard and represented in the party's decision-making processes.
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